Chiara Barbieri

Chiara Barbieri is an Independent Group Leader at the Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Switzerland, since 2020. Her research bridges molecular anthropology, population genetics, and human prehistory with a focus on South American populations.

• Education: PhD in Molecular Anthropology (2013, University of Bologna & Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)
• Prior Positions: Postdoctoral roles at University of Zurich (2018-2020), Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History (2015-2017), Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (2014-2015), and University of Bologna (2013-2014)

Barbieri's research explores:

• Congruence between genetic and linguistic transmission
• Human migration patterns in the Andes and Amazonia
• Population contact zones and diffusion processes
• Genetic structure of pre-Columbian societies
• mtDNA lineage analysis in southern Africa
• Impact of historical empires on genetic diversity

Her work combines paleogenomic data with linguistic and archaeological evidence to reconstruct population prehistory, particularly in western South America. While no specific awards are listed, her publications in top journals like PNAS and Cell indicate significant academic contributions.